Cancer

Patient sample and mouse studies suggest inhibiting CACNA1D or CACNA1S could help treat invasive breast and pancreatic cancers. In patients with invasive breast cancer, levels of CACNA1D were higher in tumors than in breast tissue from healthy volunteers, and mutations in CACNA1D were associated with poor survival. In a human breast cancer cell line and multiple pancreatic cancer cell lines, the calcium channel blockers Norvasc amlodipine, Plendil felodipine, Atelec clinidipine and manidipine decreased invasiveness compared with vehicle. In the breast cancer cell line, knockdown of CACNA1D or CACNA1S decreased invasiveness compared with normal expression of CACNA1D and CACNA1S. Next steps include testing inhibition of CACNA1D or CACNA1S in mouse models of invasive breast and pancreatic cancers.

Pfizer Inc. markets Norvasc for angina and hypertension. ...